The Sewing Place
The Emporia => Fun with Fabric => Topic started by: sewingj on January 24, 2018, 10:10:35 AM
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Further to my post yesterday looking for cheap jersey I`ve now found a few including 2 from Textile Centre which say they are" not suitable for newbies"
https://www.thetextilecentre.co.uk/collections/jersey/products/dark-splodge-floral-print-viscose-elastane-jersey-dress-fabric-material-navy?variant=47184726024
https://www.thetextilecentre.co.uk/collections/jersey/products/large-autumn-leaf-printed-soft-silky-poly-jersey-dress-fabric-material-blue?variant=44336226248
I wouldn`t claim to be an expert but I`ve sewn jersey before and have got a machine that does zigzag and a stretch stitch - is there anything about these two fabrics that sounds alarm bells?
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I think it refers more to people who are complete newbies to sewing in general. You already have sewing experience. The problems with sewing jersey when you have limited experience in general sewing is things like not properly cutting fabric (not laying it flat and on grain, letting it sag or pull which can sway your cutting). Also not recognising need for zig zag or how much the zigs should zag. Also not stabilising shoulders or making garments too long and heavy to retain the right shape.
The fact that you know how to sew is enough that you won't have issues. I would definitely recommend stabilising the shoulders though.
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thanks Fran - the pattern I`m going to use tells me to stabilise the shoulders so I will definitely do that
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I agree with all that Fran says. Just do test runs on small bits of left over fabric to decide which stitch setting works best.
Both of those fabrics have spandex/elastane so they are stretchier than jersey fabrics without spandex/elastane, but that also means that they will spring back into shape rather than go saggy at stress points (knees, elbows etc).
BTW spandex and elastane are generic names, spandex being used more in USA, elastane more in the rest of the world, and Lycra is DuPont's brand name for it.
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Thanks Brenda - I`ve ordered some of both of those and will take your advice onboard when I start sewing
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Important - remember to use a Stretch or Super Stretch needle
Anything with elastane/lycra/spandex - better to use a Stretch needle rather than a ballpoint.
(These days I don't bother with ballpoints and just use Stretch Needles for all knits and any wovens with lycra. Fewer Needle types to manage)
Plenty of information, videos, tutorials etc. around about various techniques for sewing with knits and knits with lycra content. Looking forward to hearing about how you get on with it.
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Also;
When you come to hem, a twin needle stitch can be wonderful if your machine has it.
If you want quite a narrow hem, use sticky wash-away stabiliser. You can get it on Amazon. I usually don't bother on the dress or base hem because that hem is easier to do anyway, but for sleeve hems where a bad hem is going to be more obvious, I double fold it up with the sticky stabiliser in place and then hem it with the twin needle. Once washed, it makes a lovely finish.
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thanks again - I`ve ordered some stretch needles.
I have tried using a double needle before but without much success (lots of skipped stitches) - so I will have to experiment with that. My machine isn`t very sophisticated!
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Suggest to me soft and floppy with curling edges, which is why I don't sew jersey. 0_0
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thanks again - I`ve ordered some stretch needles.
I have tried using a double needle before but without much success (lots of skipped stitches) - so I will have to experiment with that. My machine isn`t very sophisticated!
Make sure you use a jersey or a ballpoint twin needle, that should eliminate the skipped stitches.
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If the jersey is curling, spray it with starch, and usually that tames it a bit, but as Manuela says the right needles are essential.
I have sewn all kinds of knit fabrics on my old ladies and they don't mind it one bit - as long as I have the correct needle in the machine.
Just to encourage you, try a twin needle for sewing jersey hems. It gives a very similar finish to a coverstitch - but without the huge expense!
Jessie
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Viscose jersey with lycra can be a horror, but they are all different. Some materials are firmer, with a denser knit, it's much easier to handle. It's hard to generalise. Most have been mentioned already.
Others are much more experienced than me, but difficult jersey can act up.
I have had the needle and thread tear through the fabric as it stitches. I prefer more solid material, but the solution is the right machine, right needle (microtex or round tip) and matching needle size and thread to fabric.
Getting folds, joints and hems to stay in place might need carefull pinning or basting. If the material stretches as the machine sews, adjust presser bar tension.
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The first garment I made (since school) was a dress from the stretchiest viscose elastane. I didn't know it was supposed to be tricky so I just merrily went ahead and finished it. I wore it at a couple of family weddings and it's still my "best dress". I did use a walking foot and a stretch needle as I saw that suggested in a sewing book, and I took my time. But my point is that because I wasn't aware of the received wisdom that says beginners shouldn't sew stretchy knits, I didn't have a problem. I was sewing two years before I tackled a woven garment but my heart still belongs to jersey :).
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I had sewed for years and avoided jersey 'like the plague' then I took myself in hand, bought some cheap stuff and made a t-shirt, it was great and much easier than I thought and now I wonder why I'd waited so long. Take all the advice given here and go for it -I'm sure it will be much easier than you think.
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Lovely fabrics by the way and I do like the Textile centre.
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There is a Textile Centre in Walthamstow (London), but the shop is small and will only have a tiny proportion of the stock. Still, it's been a while since I was in Walthamstow and I do like leisurely bus journeys. :D
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(These days I don't bother with ballpoints and just use Stretch Needles for all knits and any wovens with lycra. Fewer Needle types to manage)
Me too, @Morgan , and since I discovered BSK sold the Organ Superstretch HAx1SP chrome coated in packs of 10 I now use those for everything. They last so much longer too! :) They're often not shown online for some reason so it helps that they're on the route of a weekly visit to my friend which means I can just pop in and save postage as well. ;)
As for the fabric...I notice this is a lightweight jersey so I suspect all the jersey 'quirks' will be magnified so that anything less than gentle handling and the right needles, stitches etc will be punished. I suspect that's the reason for the warning.
I'd also suggest to stay clear of the lightning stitch and triple straight stitch as they are brutes for anything at all delicate. A small wobble stitch is probably a safer bet.
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Thanks everyone. Just one more question. Did I read somewhere that it is best to cut jersey in a single layer? Cutting out layouts usually fold fabric in half lengthways but when I have done that for jersey it has taken me ages to get it straight
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Fine fabrics are best cut as a single layer as they tend to move about. If the jersey is firm with not much stretch, then you may be able to cut as usual.